two chickens dead this morning

[klmclain1]

DE won't kill them. You'll have to use Sevin to dust the birds, then you'll need to completely clean out the coop and either dust it with Sevin, or spray it with a mixture of bleach water. I think it's often debated whether DE is even a good preventative. I can't comment on that though - never used it!

 

[Hamstery]

no mites, no lice. i checked the two that passed as well.
more bad news this morning. another chicken dead in the coop. this time it was the most dominent of the whole group with only the most docile one left. and her neck was torn out. and tons of feathers in the coop...like there was a struggle.
i have no words. this sucks so bad.....
i feel guilty that this happened again. there has to be something getting into the coop. but HOW? i will take pictures to post. there hasn't been any damage to the run and even if whatever it was got into the run, there is no way to get INTO the coop...as everything is closed up at night. the ONLY possible entry to the coop itself is through the vents at the top, front and back. but they are TINY. the coop was built with plans and followed to a tee. and would something be smart enough to get IN through that tiny space but then also get OUT too???
i have one hen left ( freddy) and she looks petrified out there alone. i will be taking her to my brothers house today to live with his flock. i'm afraid for her being alone at night while it's still cold here at night --besides the fact that we have to figure out what is going on and how something is getting inside. i plan to put up chicken wire over the vents...for a start.
i know there isn't anything anyone can say at this point...i suppose i am just here venting. i feel terrible.......

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

Something is getting in or staying in the coop. Could be large rat. It isn't skunk they suck the blood from chickens so wouldn't be all that blood.I would look for small hole or if something can live under floor and come out at night or behind nests too if that is possible. Eating on back of the chicken's head and no blood tells me it is a possum. Now I would be concerned if he is staying in coop hidden or getting in somehow. Baby possums are bad about that and can fit through small hole.
Just a thought
Kim

 

[crazyhen]

A weasel can squeeze through a 1 inch hole. So can a rat. Put 1/2 inch hardware cloth(wire) over all the vents. Do you have a solid floor? If it is soil they dig under it and come up from the bottom. Good luck finding your preditor. Since there are no more hens in there. I would put a large rat trap baited in there tonight. So sorry for your loses. Gloria Jean

 

[klmclain1]

Wow.. I am so sorry! That's awful. Ditto on the hardware cloth - chicken wire just keeps chickens in/out. Everything else can get through it. At least you have your answer now and know what you're dealing with. Best wishes!

 

[Hamstery]

thanks everyone. i think we've found out what we are dealing with. i went out this morning to do a thorough inspection of the coop...in and out. looking for something. i found a smear of blood on the outside of the coop, up near the vent. and then when looking inside....a drip of blood right below that area.
i'm guessing a fisher cat.
we put a double layer of wire over all the vents today. chicken wire first and then hardware cloth over that. nothing should be able to get in that way now.
i have a live trap and we're putting that out in the woods behind the coop tonight.

 

[Lobzi]

Is a "fisher cat" a wild, feral cat? Im just wondering because I have cats in my yard during the night...I always welcomed them as they hunt the mice that are attracted by all the chicken feed around the yard. If so, I would never think a cat could do such damage to a chicken...chicks yes, but a full size chicken?

 

[CMV]

Is a "fisher cat" a wild, feral cat? Im just wondering because I have cats in my yard during the night...I always welcomed them as they hunt the mice that are attracted by all the chicken feed around the yard. If so, I would never think a cat could do such damage to a chicken...chicks yes, but a full size chicken?

No, a fisher cat is a large weasel. They are really nasty. My 100+ pound dog tangled with one and lost the fight. The vet bill was impressive after that little adventure.

 

[Hamstery]

This is what we trapped last night. A TINY weasel. If this is our predator, he got in the coop again before he went for the food in the trap because he got our last chicken.

I know this has to happen to a lot of people. If you own chickens, you are attracting these kinds of animals. But please, tell me how you get over the guilt. I just feel foolish and guilty for "allowing" this to happen.
We thought our coop was safe for our chickens and when we found out it may not be, we took precautions and fixed what we thought were the problems. And still, another chicken gone. We have none left and even though I took such pride in owning them and loved every single minute of it. I honestly don't know if I will own more ever again.

 

[Lobzi]

I trapped a tiny mouse who I suspected was chewing the feathers off my hens. At first I thought the hens were doing it to each other then I discovered a nest it was making for itself. Ill set more traps tonight. My poor hens, they look like they are molting from the heads down their necks. It amazes me what damage small creatures can do!